


Waiting Around

by camichats



Series: Imagine James and Sirius Prompts [161]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Voldemort, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Time Skips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:48:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25766233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/camichats/pseuds/camichats
Summary: Every week, James thought that this time would be the time he managed to ask Sirius on a date.
Relationships: Sirius Black/James Potter
Series: Imagine James and Sirius Prompts [161]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/752925
Comments: 6
Kudos: 118





	Waiting Around

**Author's Note:**

> For the prompt: “Hello there, I love your Sirius and James, they feel so in Character. I just read the books again and crave everything I can get my hands on and your fics are just what I need :D. Could I pretty please get a getting together one? A little slow burn tossed into if that's possible? I don't really care how they get together but maybe it happens in the summer Sirius runs away? Anyway, thanks for all your fics, the one with James patronus being padfood was read by me like 20 times over. :D Thanks!”

James wasn't used to chickening out, but that's exactly what he did. He'd wanted to ask Sirius on a date-- a real date, just the two of them where they could hold hands and maybe Sirius would let James kiss his cheek-- but he'd panicked at the last second and said that they should do some research for a prank. 

Instead of the two of them, it was going to be them and also Peter and Remus in the library all night. It didn't sound half-bad, but James had really been hoping that they'd start dating. It would be so much fun! Plus, it would make a good story. Meeting the love of your life when you were eleven and immediately getting together? That was the way great love stories went. 

But it would be fine. James could wait a little bit longer. Besides, he had time. So far, Sirius hadn't mentioned wanting to date anyone. 

* * *

James tried to ask Sirius on a date again. He failed. Again. It would be easier if Sirius said no, instead of James never getting the question out. 

* * *

In the four years of their friendship-- coming into five years-- James had started ask out Sirius thirty-eight times. He'd _thought_ about asking him on a date far more often, but he'd never managed to get anything out for most of those. Too many to count, honestly. Mostly he ended up staring at Sirius and frowning because he was annoyed with himself, and he would get shaken out of it when someone noticed. 

But this time was going to be different. Thirty-nine tries, but _this one_ was going to be the one that he actually managed to get out. He didn't know why he was worrying about it so much anyways. Sirius was his best mate! They were close-- closer than two people had any right to be, if you listened to Moony-- and he was pretty sure that Sirius would say yes. Sirius never looked interested in dating anyone, and he spent all his time with James. This was going to go well; all he had to do was finish asking this time, and it would be great. 

It was weird, but not entirely surprising, that this was around the time Wormtail said, "Hey, did you hear that Padfoot has a date tonight?" 

"He has a what," James said. 

"Yeah. Dorcas Meadows." 

James wrinkled his nose. "Didn't she just dye her hair blue?" 

"Yes," Moony said, not moving his head from where he was peering so closely at a book, his nose was almost brushing the paper. "I guess Padfoot's into that sort of thing. Either that or he- I dunno, actually likes her and doesn't give a shite what colour her hair is?" 

"Did he say that he likes her?" James asked, frowning. _He_ hadn't heard anything. He was Sirius's best friend; information about who he fancied and who he wanted to ask on a date should come to him first instead of from a secondary source. 

"He didn't say anything to me about it," Moony said, "but c'mon, it's Padfoot. Since when does he talk to any of us about birds? Or blokes. Or you, for that matter." He finally put some space between his face and the book, but then he was scratching something on his parchment and completely missed the incredulous look James shot him. "You don't talk about dating people either." 

"Well that's different, he's already married to Quidditch," Wormtail said with a snort. 

How were these people his friends. James was going to replace them as soon as he figured out who he could replace them with. 

"We can't expect for him to talk about Quidditch all the time and still have space to fit in who he fancies. If he even has eyes for anything other than a quaffle," Wormtail added, rolling his eyes. 

New friends. Immediately. He got up and left, hoping that they would think about being a little bit nicer to their friends who were only planning for the future, but the reality was that they barely noticed him going. He needed to find Sirius and ask him about this, anyways. He was in the first place James checked-- the dormitory. "Padfoot, the hell?" 

"What? I took off my shoes first." 

He thought James was upset about him being on his bed. As if. Although he really had taken off his shoes, which James appreciated. "Not that. Dorcas." 

"What about Dorcas?" 

"Wormtail said you have a date with her. Tonight." 

"Yeah, so?" 

"You didn't tell me." 

Sirius blinked up at him. "Why would I?" 

"I'm your best mate! We're supposed to talk about dates. And who you fancy. And all that other rot." 

"Oh," Sirius said, looking back down at his nails-- which apparently, he was busy painting red. "It's not like I fancy her; it's just a date." 

"Why would you go on date with someone you don't fancy?" 

There was an awkward pause, followed by a very unconvincing, "I dunno." 

James gaped at him. "Excuse me?" Sirius was _lying_ to him? That was not on. 

"It's not a big deal," he said, looking back up at James. "She asked, and I figured that I didn't have anything else to do tonight, so I said yes. Besides, Dorcas is cool." 

She was, but it was so not the point. "Yeah. Fine, whatever." 

"Why are you being weird?" 

"I'm not weird, this is just how I am." 

"Right," Sirius said slowly, successfully conveying how little he believed that excuse. 

* * *

"Er, are you punishing yourself or summat?" James asked. He didn't want to think that that's what was happening, but what other reason would Sirius have for not moving out of the drizzle? Nutter didn't even have a jacket on. 

He got to his feet and shuffled inside, breezing past James in the doorway. "Don't be stupid," Sirius muttered. 

James frowned a little but didn't push it. Sirius had been different ever since he ran away. There were details he wasn't sharing; some of them were fine, but others were effecting him. James didn't think that he'd be able to fix it, but it would do Sirius good to talk about it and have someone listen. In theory. In practice, he didn't know what Sirius was keeping back, so he couldn't judge it for sure. 

He didn't know how to help him. He had no idea how to deal with what Sirius had been through, so he alternated between acting like nothing had happened and smothering him with hugs any time he felt sad-- James, that is, not Sirius; he could never tell when Sirius was sad these days. Acting normal right now would mean going and pestering Sirius into helping him on some of the set-up for the Marauders' Map, but he didn't really feel like doing that right now. He kind of wanted to wrap his arms around Sirius and not let go for a couple minutes, but Sirius was probably changing right now. 

James's feet took him to the kitchen, and he realised that hot cocoa would be the absolute best thing right now. Maybe not for Sirius, but he didn't know how to help Sirius right now anyways, so he might as well do something that was going to make _him_ feel better. He did grab the marshmallows from the cupboard even though he didn't like them, because he knew that Sirius did. Most people liked mini-marshmallows in their hot cocoa, but Sirius liked two full size ones dropped right in. James didn't know why, but what Sirius liked, Sirius was damn well going to get. 

He was just about to put the marshmallows in Sirius's mug when he heard his name being called. "Kitchen!" he yelled back. He picked up the mugs and brought them over to the table. 

"You made cocoa?" Sirius said, a touch disbelieving. 

"Yes. Drink up." 

"Erm. Okay," Sirius muttered. He sat heavily in one of the chairs around the table and wrapped his hands around the mug, pulling it towards himself with a small hunch to his shoulders like he was afraid it would be taken from him. "You put marshmallows in it." 

"Yeah." 

"I thought you said it was weird." 

"It is, but that's no reason for you not to have it," James said, taking a sip and burning his tongue. He felt like he should be better at temperature control by now, but he always ended up with his tea and hot cocoa being too damn hot. Sirius was smarter, so he blew on it before tilting it towards his mouth. 

James couldn't decide if the longing in him was for seeing Sirius comfortable, or if it was because he wanted to kiss him. Either way, he couldn't act on it. Not now. Before, he'd been too scared to ask Sirius out, but now... now he didn't need to add to Sirius's stress. Whether he said yes or no, it would make his life more difficult. That was fine when all they were doing was worrying about school, but Sirius had an entire family that now wanted nothing to do with him. It wasn't the right time for James to start talking about dating and being in love and shite. 

* * *

It wasn't the middle of the night, but it was earlier than James had planned on waking up. He had no bloody idea what Sirius was doing awake at five in the morning, but he woke up when Sirius crawled into bed with him. He didn't get under the covers, so it's not that it was a nightmare. He just laid on top of the duvet and curled up with a pillow. 

"Whatcha doin' up?" James muttered. 

"Go back to sleep," Sirius whispered. 

"'m already up." He was still tired, but he could tell that he wasn't going to get back to sleep. "What's goin' on?" 

"Nothing. I... didn't want to be alone. Couldn't stop thinking." 

James rubbed his hands over his face to wake himself up a little more. "How would me being asleep help you stop thinking?" 

"I don't know," Sirius said quietly. "You always help." 

* * *

"James, why don't you date?" Sirius asked out of the blue one afternoon over lunch. 

"Huh?" 

"You never date anyone." 

"You only started dating last year," James said defensively. 

"Right, but you never talk about it." 

"Neither do you. You never fancied anyone, and sometimes you'd disappear for a date without saying anything." 

"That's because it never went anywhere. It's not like I was in love with any of them; it was just some fun." 

"So why are you allowed to not be interested in anyone but I'm not? I don't want to date people I'm not interested in. That's all there is to it." 

"I never said I wasn't interested in someone," Sirius muttered, casting his eyes down at the table. 

"Then ask them on a date and stop pestering me," James grumbled. Hearing that Sirius did-- in fact-- fancy someone, wasn't exactly improving his mood. 

"...James?" 

"Yeah?" 

"Would you go on a date with me?" 

James tried to look at him so quickly that his elbow slipped off the table, and he nearly fell into his plate face first. "Yes. What? Yes. No take-back's," James said shoving a finger in his face. 

Sirius went a little cross-eyed trying to keep sight of his hand, then leaned back a little. "I'm not going to date you if you poke my eye out." 

"I would never!" James said, puffing up indignantly as he drew his hand back. 

"Well not on purpose, no." 

"Not ever." James narrowed his eyes at Sirius. "You'd better not be joking." 

"Why would I be joking?" 

"I dunno, but I've been trying to ask you out for like five years so I'm not taking any chances." 

"Five years? Really?" Sirius asked. 

"I will shove the rest of this sandwich in your face if you mock me." 

Sirius held up his hands in surrender, but there was no tamping down on the smile spreading across his face. 

**Author's Note:**

> This is from a prompt driven blog @[imaginejamesandsirius](https://imaginejamesandsirius.tumblr.com) on tumblr. Feel free to drop by!


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